I was on a business trip for a week, and came back to 262 e-mails!
Gack! However, it was interesting to read the Independence list like
that... I noticed something fairly surprising. First, we talk a lot.
:-) Second; A lot of people feel that the install process is too hard
and needs help. This is consistently met with, "But the install doesn't
really matter." It does if the people we are trying to reach never get
past it. The install, or install related problems make up most of what
was discussed here. <Discounting the distribution spitting-for-distance
contest.>
On GUI installs... They make new users more comfortable. They take
away fear... Is there some reason we cannot start a VGA 320x240 Xserver
for install? This distribution is supposed to be for the lowest common
denominator, and they seem to want a GUI install. How feasible is it to
grab one?
On favored applications... If it doesn't install automagically, it
isn't there. This is the case for ALL new users. They won't go looking
for "it" because they don't know "it" is missing. I spent a lot of time
looking for the cool apps everyone was talking about, and couldn't find
them. Until I looked on the CD... Ohhh.... We need to either make
them all options in the install, or have a "Inde Cool Apps" checkbox.
More on favored apps... If there is a big letter button, people will
press it for e-mail. If we want to have a different e-mail program, it
need to come up when you press that big letter button.
On location-o-centric thinking... We are all guilty of this. It is
a tough habit to break. We will have to break it. Myself included...
We will need help breaking it. Kind help is better. :-)
On packages... The only thing a user cares about is installing
"there" package. The Betamax argument is correct... It does not matter
how "cool" the VCR is if it has no movies. I am not sure of the
feasibility of this, but is there some way for Deban to use RPMs, and
Red Hat to use APT? If not, I have to vote for RPMs.
As for helping other distribs... I am all for it. I am making an
AutoDoc for Independence, but would love to see it ported to every Linux
out. I don't have time to do it myself... This week, I didn't even
have time to do it at all... But I welcome ports, translations,
bindings... http://snow.peakusa.com for the alpha version. :-)
Feel free to question just who the hell I think I am. :-) It was
just interesting to see this unfold over several days... A lot of
people took a lot of things personal. We have to keep in mind that it
is just an OS. Cool and powerful as it is, it is just a hunk of code...
If a better hunk of code comes along, it should not cause a theological
rift. :-)
Lee